Weather: Hi 4°C / Lo 2°C
BBC criticised for silence on cost of Top Gear stunts
Saturday, 10 October 2009
The Top Gear team roll into Belfast's docks to film a scene on top of one of Harland and Wolff's famous twin Gantry cranes, Samson.
More pictures
Print
Email
Top Gear has shunted straight into a row after its series of extravagant stunts in Belfast this week.
The Beeb is also facing criticism after refusing to give any details on how much licence payers’ money was splashed out on the daredevil escapades.
But a former presenter of the programme from Northern Ireland has branded critics “humourless” and asked: “What’s not to love?”
Controversial Top Gear frontman Jeremy Clarkson was among those who spent hours filming at the city’s docks area for the programme this week.
Their madcap stunts included firing a Renault Twingo into the sea, drag racing and hoisting a vehicle to the top of one of Harland and Wolff's famous twin gantry cranes, Samson.
The Beeb has this week batted away media inquiries about the show’s content or how much was spent in the process.
Its stance has prompted DUP MP Gregory Campbell to challenge the corporation to come clean on costs.
Environmental group Friends of the Earth, meanwhile, criticised the Top Gear team claiming it appeared to have gone out of its way to be as crass and juvenile as possible. Ex-presenter Jason Barlow, who is from Co Down, said he felt such shows did not come over to Northern Ireland often enough.
“I used to present a programme called Wrong Car Right Car. It was a reality format show filmed across the UK and they used to never go over to Belfast, which I always complained about until we ended up going over to film an episode in my hometown of Bangor,” Mr Barlow, who is currently editor-at-large of Top Gear magazine, said.
“I think you would have to be rather humourless not to appreciate the presence of them in Belfast.
“It is one of the biggest, most watched programmes in the world. What’s not to love?
“I have a vague idea of the story line but in true Top Gear tradition, there are all these grand plans which might not always come off, but that is always part of the charm.”
However, Mr Barlow admitted he was not a fan of attempts by presenters Jeremy Clarkson and James May to imitate the Ulster accent.
“Jeremy has a go at doing it every time he sees me and James May, too, for that matter,” he said.
The wrecking of vehicles for the show has not impressed Friends of the Earth campaigner Declan Allison.
“The wanton destruction of tens of thousands of pounds worth of machinery impresses no-one. It’s a wasteful extravagance and, in the middle of a global recession, in very poor taste,” he said.
Mr Campbell, a former Stormont Culture Minister, said he believes BBC licence payers have a right to know how much of their cash was spent funding Top Gear’s Belfast stunts.
“The programme does divide opinion — some people think it’s quite informative and humourous while others think it is so reckless as to be downright dangerous,” he said.
“I think the BBC should reveal what the total cost of the filming was. Once that is revealed people would be able to make a judgment on whether they thought it was worthwhile.”
Post a comment
Limit: 500 characters
View all comments that have been posted about this article
Offensive or abusive comments will be removed and your IP address logged and may be used to prevent further submissions. In submitting a comment to the site, you agree to be bound by BelfastTelegraph.co.uk's Terms of Use.
Posts submitted in UPPERCASE letters will be rejected.
Also in this section
- Travolta loved being bald in film
- Anne Hathaway fancies TV stint
- Benicio has soft spot for monsters
- Lautner at Valentine's Day premiere
- Stella gives backing to food film
Oh For Heaven's sake stop whining.... This is by far the most entertaining program on the planet, if you really have a problem with "destruction of machinery" and "wasteful extravagance" etc etc perhaps you should first point your gunsights over the pond, in the direction of a Mr Michael Bay for example, who I'll warrant blows up more machinery in ten minutes than top gear has done over thirteen seasons!
People look to the television for entertainment and escapism, to get away for a bit from the doom and gloom in the world at large (Caused in part by politicians like Mr Campbell)... and TG does an amazing job at providing precisely that!!
Long live Top Gear!
Posted by Thomas | 14.10.09, 05:45 GMT
The word is ENTERTAINMENT! We need reasons to smile, which some of the people in this story need t remember how to do.
Posted by G. Winters | 14.10.09, 04:19 GMT
Top Gear is the most watched show on the planet. At least it gives us something to look forward to laughing about in this economy right now. So screw all you damn tree huggers and your prius. Clarkson for PM.
Posted by George | 12.10.09, 04:08 GMT
The best show on TV by far. Stop moaning about how much it costs, I'm more interested in how much it makes for the BBC?
Posted by Joe | 11.10.09, 23:23 GMT
oh leave them alone! who cares how much it costs to be cheered up in a downturn
Posted by Keith | 11.10.09, 18:17 GMT
This is the best and most real show on TV showing people that it is possible to have some fun for once. You cant put a price on quality. My only gripe is that i have to spend too much time trying to find this show on the internet as it is not on prime time TV here in Canada, people who like cars and i believe there are a few over here in Canada would love to see this show on regular cable just like Coronation Street.
Posted by Matt | 11.10.09, 16:23 GMT
A programme that frankly allows three so called lads indulge in ridiculous un-inforamtive pranks is defintely out of date.
Most of us are drivers of vehicles who recognise we are the most over-taxed users of a road system that is acrchaic, and simply not fit for purpose.
As we support the BBC through taxes Top Gear could be a significantly more informative programme highlighting the issues that daily effect me and millions like me on our inadequete, expensive and poorly policed highways.
I am recognised as someone with a high sense of humour however find TG in its current format a complete waste of time, money and importantly limited resources....oh yes and so unfunny!
Move over Jeremy and Co there are many more who can make Top Gear a watchable programme without infantile pranks that have little or no link with the Automotive industry and its millions of users.
Geoff Fry
Posted by Geoff Fry | 11.10.09, 11:48 GMT
A modern version of Last of the summer Wine absolutely the same plots
Posted by Jim taylor | 10.10.09, 21:48 GMT
A modern version of Last of the summer Wine absolutely the same plots
Posted by Jim taylor | 10.10.09, 21:48 GMT
A fantastic show with something for everyone unless your life is very sad. I'll donate every penny of my licence fee to the making of Top Gear. The politicians need to stop lighting fires in an attempt to distract everyone from their sorry sordid corrupt little lifes.
Posted by Dave S | 10.10.09, 17:28 GMT
Why is it that so many of the current Culture Ministers around the UK understand so little about the operations of the BBC? Top Gear is one of the most commercially successful programmes that the BBC's commercial arm (BBC Worldwide) has to sell. Top Gear books, DVDs and live event tickets are hugely popular. And the UK programme is sold all around the world (reaching an audience of some 350m people). In short, the BBC is making a profit from Top Gear so the investment in producing new episodes is well worth it indeed. Typically Mr Campbell is more interested in moaning rather than considering the benefit to N Ireland from appearing on Top Gear or the financial benefit to the BBC.
Posted by P Star | 10.10.09, 17:07 GMT
And here was me thinking Top Gear was one of very few shows producing a net profit for the BBC, what with all the selling abroad it does.
If it makes more than it spends TV license payers should be grateful they splash out, or the price would go up to pay for more drivel like strictly come dancing, a huge net loss to the BBC i imagine.
Plus the cranes there are amazing - everyone should see them.
Posted by James Murphy | 10.10.09, 15:54 GMT
And here was me thinking Top Gear was one of very few shows producing a net profit for the BBC, what with all the selling abroad it does.
If it makes more than it spends TV license payers should be grateful they splash out, or the price would go up to pay for more drivel like strictly come dancing, a huge net loss to the BBC i imagine.
Plus the cranes there are amazing - everyone should see them.
Posted by James Murphy | 10.10.09, 15:54 GMT
Is Top Gear the most hated television show by the Belfast Telegraph? Or does the old adage 'there's no such thing as bad publicity' apply here?
Top Gear is an incredibly entertaining show for millions of people in the UK and million and millions of others around the world. The BBC sells the television rights for Top Gear to almost 100 countries. Top Gear is therefore one of the most profitable shows that the BBC produces and in turn helps to keep less popular, non-profitable, but still important, shows on our screens.
Maybe a quick lesson in basic business principles would help the people of NI who disagree with the BBCs filming in Belfast:-
To sell something for a profit is not a bad thing for licence fee payers, it is in fact a very good thing. More profit = lower licence fee
Think about all the free publicity that Belfast and NI are receiving across the UK and world. During a recession, and a drop in tourism numbers, is drawing attention to Belfast really a bad thing?
Posted by WH | 10.10.09, 15:05 GMT